Queering the Census: Single Homosexuals and Transgendered Left Out?

You may have already heard about this, but this is an article about a movement for the U.S. Census to include responses for single gay individuals. This year's census had an option for homosexual married couples, but that was it. Does it surprise you that the U.S. Census, one of the most organized and expensive survey organizations, doesn't include something so socially salient on their survey? Shouldn't this be something that was identified as missing before the census was even close to being sent out?

In addition to this, the article talks about transgendered individuals being identified on the census. This year transgender individuals were told to check "male" or "female" according to which sex they most identified. They argue that a separate box should be included for this question. This is something that has, from my knowledge, hasn't been included on any other survey's I've come across. Do you agree with adding this box to the "Sex" question on the census? Is this something that would then need to be included on other official surveys or demographic forms?

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This is something that is very interesting for you to bring up. The census is supposed to be done by "everyone" and "everyone" gets to see it. I think that including the transgenered option is almost a no-brainer. They want to know about the people who live in this country, why not make it as accurate as possible? It is also interesting that they include the married gays as an option, but not the single. Since the gay marriage movement has gone in the direction it has, I guess it makes sense to include the ones that are married.... but ignore the ones that aren't? I thought that the point of the census was to find out about our population. They ask about our race, why not about are orientation? When in comes to filling out the census it is supposed to be easy and quick...something you can do in a matter of minutes, but what kind of mental tug-of-war do individuals have to go through when they don't have a box that applies to them? How do you decide what you are when the box is not available?

As far as adding this to other tests, I can't really say what I think. Asking for gender or orientation shouldn't be an important aspect for all things, and I would say that that question should only be added when it is completely necessary. I think adding boxes on this would do more harm that good, creating another outlet for discrimination. When it is anonymous it is less likely to be a problem, but in other situations it should just be ignored.